After a fine debut in Perth Test, Sayali Satghare eyes a spot in India Women's T20I team

MUMBAI: She made an impressive debut in the Perth pink-ball Women's Test against Australia, but Mumbai pacer Sayali Satghare is now eyeing a spot in India women's T20 team, which is set for a couple of challenging assignments in the next four months. India are set to tour South Africa to play a five-match T20I series against the hosts, which starts from April 17. The series will be a build-up to the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup in England, which will start from June 12.

Swinging the ball beautifully, the 25-year-old quick took four for 50 to provide the silver lining in India’s humbling 10-wicket defeat to the Aussies at the WACA. Asked if she was hoping to be picked for the South Africa T20I series next month, Satghare told TOI in an interview, "Yeah, I would love to be there, but I have done whatever I could have in the past few months, so it's up to the selectors."



At the launch of the new season of T20 Mumbai League and the announcement of the three-team T20 Mumbai Women's League on Saturday, the Borivali girl relished a rare opportunity to share the stage with former India captain Rohit Sharma.

"This is the first time I have met him. He's been an inspiration for a long time. He's a legend of the game, the greatest opener ever in the game. I mean he's really cool about things, so he doesn't make you feel like, ‘oh he's Rohit Sharma’ and all that. He's very humble, and it made me feel comfortable on the stage," Satghare gushed.

While she was pleased with her own performance on Test debut, Satghare admitted that she would; e cherished it more had it come in a winning cause. "It was a great experience. I would've been happier if we would have won the match. But playing in Australia, at the WACA ground in Perth is a dream for any past bowler. So yeah, I'm really grateful that I got that opportunity," she said.

How supportive was skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, considering that it was her first match against Australia, a challenging team to make your Test debut against? "She was very supportive and she made all four of us debutants feel comfortable and whatever our plans were, she was discussing with us what we can do, what should be done in certain situations and whenever I had a doubt I could go to her and she would just suggest what can be done," praised Satghare.

Fondly describing that big in-swinger that swung from outside the off-stump to hit the top of leg stump of Australian opener Georgia Voll, Satghare said, "Yes in-swing is my strength and we got to bowl under lights, so ball was doing a lot and I think the pink ball usually swings more under the lights. On that WACA wicket, there was both pace and bounce. So, with that swing that I got... it was a dream ball."

Satghare also loved getting the scalp of former Australian women's team captain Alyssa Healy, who was playing in her farewell Test. The seamer had Healy caught superbly by Jemimah Rodrigues at backward point. "Alyssa is obviously a legend of the game, so to get her wicket in her final innings was special and memorable,” she beamed.

Not surprisingly, Satghare’s idols in the game are modern-day pace bowling greats Jasprit Bumrah and Michell Starc. “They are really good in all three formats. They adapt to the conditions well. They read the situations well in any format and their execution is on point. If I can do even half of what they can do, that would be great for me,” she said.

While she is keen to play for India in all the tre formats, Satghare knows the value of the Test cap. "I would love to play (for India) in all the three formats. Like I said, not a lot of players have played for India in Test cricket, so to get that opportunity is a big, big thing for me and I have always loved Test cricket. I've always enjoyed playing multi-day matches in domestic cricket, so making my Test debut was great," she said.

Recalling how she started playing cricket as a kid growing up in Borivali, Satghare said, "I used to play street cricket with my brothers in Borivali. Then, one of my cousins joined an academy. So, during the summer camps, I used to stay at home, and he used to go in the morning and in the evening. Then, one day, I went and saw what happens in the academy. I used to play street cricket, so I wondered what would be different there. They were playing some Under-10 matches there with tennis balls. So, I just picked up a ball and threw it like this (she gestured with her hand). So the coach there, Praful Naik Sir saw that, I think I was only seven or eight years-old then..and he wondered how a girl is able to unleash such a powerful throw. He then asked me if I wanted to play cricket. Since I used to play with my brothers, I said 'Yes, I want to play.' Then at home, I spoke to my parents, and my father likes cricket a lot, so he never stopped me. That's how it started."

There is stiff competition for a spot as a seam bowler in the India women's team. Perhaps, if Renuka Singh Thakur was not rested from the Perth test due to workload issues, Satghare may not even have played in the match. Satghare said that the players backed each other to do well. "All of us are just trying to do well for the team, so obviously there is competition, but whenever someone plays, we always hope that she does well, and at the end of the day, India wins the match.”



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